Friday, April 13, 2012

Nude lipglosses are my thing. I just can't pass up a nude lipgloss even if I do have 100 others that look just like it. There are certain things one can never have too many of, right?

I was browsing Ulta a few weeks ago when I came across a newly expanded section of Palladio. My Ulta has always carried Palladio, but they have always had a limited selection of products and nothing ever caught my eye. I first looked at the tinted lip balms, since I had heard great things about them, but I couldn't find a shade I liked. Then I spotted a nude gloss, and since I don't have any Palladio lip products, I knew I needed to try it.

The shade I have is called "Mocha Cream," and it's gorgeous. It's one of the darker nudes I own, and one I thought, at first, might be too dark. It's a pinky-brown color, but it definitely leans brown/mocha. However, it's balanced with enough pink that it doesn't look like you smeared chocolate on your lips, which is a problem I often have with brown nudes.

The formula is amazing for a drugstore gloss! It's wears well, but it's not sticky at all. I find myself reaching for this one more frequently than some of my high-end glosses, even! It just feels so light and moisturizing on the lips that you forget you're even wearing a gloss. As for scent, there might be a hint of a vanilla-ish scent, but you have to really smell the tube to even get a hint of it. I'd consider these unscented.

The packaging is very simple, but it doesn't feel as cheap as some glosses around the same price point do. The wand is a basic doefoot, but it's one of the better ones. You get a good amount of gloss with each pull of the wand...I don't find myself having to re-dip 10 times to get enough gloss.

Would I recommend these glosses? 100% yes! I was pleasantly surprised, and I will definitely be picking up a few more shades of these. These retail for only $5.00, and you can often find them on sale at Ulta. Totally worth it!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

As an acne sufferer, benzoyl peroxide is something that has a permanent place in my daily skincare routine. After years of trial and error, I have determined that it's the only thing that actually works to control my acne. While it's not severe, it's very persistent, which means that I have to continuously treat it in order to keep it at bay. The challenge is finding a BP product that is both affordable and compatible with my current skincare products. This fits the bill!

Acne.org 2.5% BP Gel is a fragrance-free, clear/white, thick gel. It comes in several different sizes, a 2oz. TSA-approved size, an economical 8oz. pump size, and an even more economical 32oz. huge pump size. Since you do use this twice a day, generously, over your entire face,this is a great thing.

After I cleanse and tone, I apply a generous amount of the BP gel and wait for it to dry before moisturizing. What I love most is that it’s very thick, so it actually feels moisturizing as it glides onto your skin. Since it’s gel, it has a nice cool sensation (think aloe vera gel) as it goes on, which is very soothing and even invigorating in the morning. It takes only a few minutes to dry, which is great when you’re in a hurry.

Another thing to note is that it soaks in completely, leaving no film or residue. I have experienced little to no "balling up" of other products with this gel, as opposed to other formulations I have tried. This is a very important factor when you're applying makeup on top of it.

Since 2.5% was proven to be as effective as 10%, i’m very grateful that Dan (of Acne.org) decided to make a high-quality, economical BP gel. There are times when I switch off, since it doesn't work with every single skincare product, but I would definitely continue to repurchase. It keeps me very clear with little to no irritation, which is all I ask of an acne treatment.